Early to Rise: Athens, Greece

I could not go to Athens, Greece without seeing the Acropolis for myself. After landing in Athens Sunday morning, I arrived at the Phillipos Hotel, which was situated right at the base of the site. It was crowded with tourists and buses, and I could not help but imagine what the place would be like empty of the hustle and bustle. So, I decided to wake up at 6:45 am the following morning to see it for myself. I got my sneakers and running gear on and began my climb to to Acropolis.

My route took me up narrow stone stairs and passageways in the side of the mountain. As I climbed higher and higher, the city melted away beneath me and the sunrise. I felt like an Olympian to say the least. It was quiet and eerie, but beautiful. The city was shades of purple and pink and as the sun rose up and up, the colors transformed to shades of orange and gold.

To me, this was Greece.

If you really want to know the essence of a city, get yourself out of bed in the early morning and experience it in the lonely sunrise.